


A Windowless Room

by bardsley



Category: Weiß Kreuz
Genre: M/M, M/M implied, Recovery, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 13:13:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7173188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bardsley/pseuds/bardsley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fall of the tower, Schuldig takes Ran to a windowless room to recover.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Windowless Room

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DarkAngelAzrael](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkAngelAzrael/gifts).



> For DarkAngelAzrael, who is such an awesome friend that she even proofread her own birthday present. Many happy returns. All remaining mistakes are mine.

The room was warm and the bed was comfortable, but gradually he was pulled to wakefulness by a persistently full bladder. He opened his eyes. He could only tell that he had opened them because the quality of the darkness in the room was different from the darkness behind his eyelids. Since the usefulness of his eyes was limited, he immediately gave attention to his other senses. He could hear someone else breathing in the room, and he could tell just by the scent that the other person was a man.

“Ran, are you awake?”

The whisper was familiar. So was the voice. However, he knew that the two did not belong together. A man’s voice had spoken to him, but it was Ran’s little sister who would creep into his room and whisper to him in the darkness when it was late and they were supposed to be asleep but she wanted to play. And the man’s voice…

The memory became fuzzy. Ran lifted his hand to his head, only then noticing that his head ached. His body ached. _He had been asked a question. It was only right that he answer._

“Yes,” Ran groaned. The answer came easily. He could not remember much right now, but he remembered that he was Ran and although he wished it was otherwise, he was certainly awake. He sat up, fighting against the way it made his stomach roil. He still had to find a bathroom.

The bedside lamp was switched on, casting a dull orange light around what turned out to be a shabby, windowless hotel room. Ran half-closed his eyes, squinting against the light. He still noted the possible entrances and exits, just one door – and the one other person in the room. Ran was right. It was a man. He had a long face, offset somewhat by long orange hair and a multitude of blue and purple bruises.

“Ha. You should see yourself,” the man muttered.

“What?” Ran asked.

“You have to go, don’t you? Let me help. You won’t make it on your own.” Without waiting for an answer, the stranger was helping him to his feet and walking with him toward the half-open door of the bathroom.

Schuldig. The other man’s name was Schuldig. He had known that but had somehow forgotten that he knew it until this moment.

Schuldig nudged open the bathroom door.

“Something is wrong,” Ran said urgently.

“Just one thing?” Schuldig asked. He flipped a switch and the lights surrounding the vanity fizzed to life. Two of the bulbs were dead, but there was more than enough light by the three others.

Ran looked at his reflection in the mirror and was pleased when he still recognized himself. His face was bruised and had dozens of small cuts, but it was his face. He tore his eyes from his own reflection to meet Schuldig’s eyes in the mirror.

“I can’t remember—” Ran looked down at the toilet. His need to piss overcame his rising panic over his loss of memory. Schuldig lifted the lid just in time and Ran leaned against him as he emptied his bladder. The sound of liquid spilling against liquid was almost soothing.

Schuldig flushed the toilet. Ran tucked himself back into his pants. He was startled by his lack of embarrassment at having relieved himself in front of the other man. But, even though he could not remember Schuldig, Ran had the feeling that they had known each other a long time, and that Schuldig had seen him in even more intimate situations.

“I can’t remember anything,” Ran said. He turned his head to look at Schuldig, and found Schuldig watching him with what seemed like perfectly natural curiosity.

“We were in an accident. You have a head injury. Don’t worry, it won’t last,” Schuldig answered.

The words worked on Ran like a spell. He found that he was not worried. “How do you know it won’t last?” Ran asked. He was more curious than really concerned.

Ran turned on the tap to wash his hands, making a face as the water came out orange. He washed his hands and didn’t protest when Schuldig took the soap from him and pushed his hands into the streaming water with Ran’s.

“Nothing lasts,” Schuldig said.

Schuldig sounded sad, and Ran found that he didn’t like that Schuldig was sad. He leaned more heavily against Schuldig, wanting to make Schuldig aware that he was not alone.

Schuldig closed his eyes, and bit his lip. Ran thought Schuldig looked hurt and was about to ask if he was alright, when Schuldig laughed. He abruptly shut off the tap and wiped his wet hands dry on Ran’s ragged shirt. Ran glanced over his shoulder at the towel right behind them hanging limply on the rack attached to the wall. It had been such a petty, intrusive thing to do. Ran laughed too.

Schuldig looked startled by Ran’s laughter. Startled, Schuldig looked younger. Ran noticed for the first time how pretty Schuldig’s blue eyes were. Schuldig groaned, shutting his eyes tight, and put his hand up to his head just as Ran had done when he first woke up.

“Oh, go back to bed!” Schuldig snapped. “You’re giving me a headache.”

“How am I giving you a headache?” Ran asked, but he began to move, reaching to put out the bathroom light so they could make their way back to the bed by the light of the beside lamp. He felt immediately grateful for the dimness of the room as it helped the strain of his own headache.

“By asking so many damn questions.”

“I think that I have asked maybe two questions since I woke up,” Ran replied.

“Two too many!” Schuldig said. Then he carefully pushed back the blankets and gently lowered Ran into the bed. Schuldig’s tenderness meant more to Ran than his words did. Ran didn’t let go, pulling Schuldig into bed with him.

Schuldig’s orange hair and the effect of the orange light on his pale, bruised skin made Schuldig look like an old, sepia-toned photograph. Schuldig’s smile was sharp-edged.

“What’s funny?” Ran asked.

“Another question,” Schuldig complained.

“Alright. No questions. Put out the light. You can watch me sleep up close,” Ran said.

“I wasn’t—”

“You were watching me sleep,” Ran said. He was certain.

“It was pitch-black.”

“You were still watching me sleep… somehow.”

“You might have a concussion!” Schuldig protested.

“Then I’m grateful,” Ran answered. “But you’re hurt too, and you can just as easily keep an eye on me from right here.”

Schuldig scowled at Ran. Ran waited for Schuldig to make some reply. He thought of arguments to possible protests that Schuldig could make, but Schuldig did not say anything. Ran listened to Schuldig’s breathing and then the sound of the small, hotel fridge clicking on. When it became clear that Schuldig would not speak, Ran reached behind him and put out the light.

In the darkness, Schuldig let himself be drawn into Ran’s arms. He held Ran, close and careful. Ran felt the comfort of caring and being cared for as they held each other in the quiet blackness of the room.

“Go to sleep,” Schuldig sighed. And Ran did.

 

Ran dreamed of falling and drowning in endless dark water, and woke up to the sound of Schuldig choking. Ran lifted Schuldig into a seated position and patted Schuldig’s back until the coughing stopped.

“Stop it!” Schuldig shouted angrily. He reached for the bedside lamp, but clumsily knocked it over. It clattered heavily to the ground, but it did not sound like it broke.

“Stop what?” Ran asked, letting Schuldig struggle out of his arms.

“Stop acting like such a damn fool!” Schuldig hissed.

Ran leaned over and felt for the lamp. He found it, closing his fingers around the ceramic surface. He lifted it back to the table, and put on the light. The base of the lamp was chipped, but not broken. Ran felt dizzy and his body ached.

“Then are you a damn fool for taking care of me?” Ran asked. He could not remember what happened, but felt no doubt that Schuldig had taken care of him.

“God, yes,” Schuldig sneered, making his face unpleasant to look at.

Ran reached out. He didn’t hesitate. Schuldig only resisted for a moment before letting himself be pulled back into Ran’s arms. Schuldig cursed.

“Schuldig?”

“No,” Schuldig said firmly. “Just don’t say anything.”

Ran didn’t say anything. The way he didn’t say anything was very loud.

“Alright. Fine,” Schuldig groused.

“I’m glad that you’re a damn fool,” Ran said.

Schuldig groaned. He let his head sink against Ran’s shoulder.

“What happened? We’re not hiding out in this hotel room because we were in an accident.”

“Hotel room?” Schuldig asked.

“It’s not a hotel room?”

Schuldig put on a superior smile and shook his head. “No. It’s not.”

“Good, because it would be a really crappy hotel,” Ran replied.

Schuldig laughed. “Yeah, it would.”

“Why are we hiding? What is this place?” Ran asked.

“Hell,” Schuldig said ominously.

Ran tugged the pillow out from under Schuldig and hit him with it.

“It’s just a room! God!” Schuldig pulled the pillow from Ran’s hand and threw it over the edge of the bed where Ran could not reach it easily.

Ran pinned Schuldig’s wrists to the bed. Schuldig looked surprised. Good. It was possible to surprise him. Schuldig started shaking his head even before Ran started speaking.

“I know that you’re trying to protect me by not telling me things—”

“I’m trying to protect me!” Schuldig shouted. “You don’t know what you don’t know, so—” Schuldig grimaced when he could not shake off Ran’s hold. “How can you still do this?”

“I’m stronger than you think I am,” Ran answered. “And you don’t need to protect yourself from me.”

Schuldig’s expression of aggrieved frustration was almost cute. “Let. Me. Go.” Schuldig enunciated slowly.

After a moment, Ran did.

Schuldig picked the pillow up off the floor and hit Ran with it. Hard.

 

Asking questions bothered Schuldig so much that Ran tried not to ask them. It helped that he spent most of his time sleeping. Still, Ran wondered about things. He wondered exactly what happened, who they were hiding from, and if there were any people for them to go back to. And sometimes, Schuldig answered the questions that Ran didn’t ask.

“You have a sister,” Schuldig said.

“I know. I remember.”

Schuldig huffed. “There’s a surprise.”

“I remember when we were younger,” Ran said. “I don’t remember anything recent.”

“I’m sure it will come back to you,” Schuldig said.

“Are you saying that because you’re stopping me from remembering?” Ran asked.

“What?”

“You can do that can’t you? Mind control.”

“You’re crazy,” Schuldig muttered.

“You don’t always answer things I say out loud. Some of the things you tell me to do, I do without thinking. I can’t help myself. And I think some of my thoughts aren’t mine.”

Schuldig waved his hand dismissively. “You have a head injury. You’d realize how crazy the things that you are saying are if you didn’t.”

“I have a head injury, but I’m right, aren’t I? You can hear what I’m thinking?” Ran put his hand on the back of Schuldig’s head and drew him close. He pressed his forehead to Schuldig’s. Ran thought about how good Schuldig felt in his arms.

“Yes,” Schuldig snarled. “And what you’re thinking is fucking stupid most of the time.”

Ran didn’t flinch. “And you can make me do things.”

“I can. I could be making you do this, right now,” Schuldig sneered.

“I don’t think you’re making me do this,” Ran replied. “I don’t think you’re making me do this because you look really scared right now.”

Whatever Schuldig might have said in reply was lost as Ran kissed him.

 

Ran wasn’t well enough to make more of the kiss than a kiss, even if he had wanted to. Schuldig sulked for hours afterward. Possibly days. Ran was awake so little of the time it was difficult to tell.

People came to the room and left them medicine, food, and beer. Schuldig usually brought the supplies in, but he was in the bathroom when Ran heard someone at the door. Ran felt well enough to get up, so he did.

An elderly Japanese woman stood outside the door. She was different from the person Ran had seen through the crack in the door the last time.

“つまらないものですが,” she said, before bowing and dropping the sack into his hands. Ran was startled that it was difficult to understand her at first. It’s a small thing, please accept it.

The old woman had already turned and was hobbling away by the time that Ran returned her bow and muttered, “ありがとうございます。”

Schuldig was leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom, watching Ran closely. It was jarring for Ran to realize that he had been speaking and thinking in another language for days. He shuffled back to the small fridge, moving carefully like the invalid he was. Ran started putting away things that needed to be kept cold.

Schuldig sat on the bed. The room was small enough that Schuldig’s knees brushed Ran’s back. Ran finished putting the things away. He left out two beers. Ran hated beer, but thought it was preferable to what was coming out of their tap. He stayed where he was for a moment out of an instinct that up was likely going to hurt even more than down.

Schuldig grabbed Ran by the hair. He pulled Ran’s head back forcing Ran to look up at him. Ran took hold of Schuldig’s wrist. Just holding it. Not forcing it away. Not even trying.

“German,” Ran said. “We’ve been speaking German for days.”

“And I went into your head and moved things around, so you didn’t even notice,” Schuldig said. “What do you think of that?”

“I think you should make them start bringing us water,” Ran answered. “I’m sick of beer.”

With his free hand, Ran picked up one of the cans of beer and held it up for Schuldig. Schuldig let go of Ran’s hair to take it. Ran let Schuldig help him up on to the bed.

Schuldig sighed and popped the tab on his beer. It foamed beautifully. Ran did the same.

“No moralizing about abusing little old ladies for supplies?” Schuldig asked.

“None,” Ran agreed. He sipped his beer. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.

“No complaints about taking your language away?”

“I can still speak it, you just gave me another one,” Ran answered. He looked over at Schuldig. “Besides, you looked almost as surprised as I was. Did you even realize that you were doing that?”

“God, you’re helpless like this,” Schuldig snapped. “Why can’t you get mad at me about what I’ve done to you?”

“Helping me piss? Washing me? Making sure I eat?”

“I risked your life by taking you here,” Schuldig growled. “You should be at a hospital.”

“Could I be at a hospital? Neither of us could, could we? I don’t understand everything that happened, but I understand that much.”

“You don’t understand anything,” Schuldig sneered.

Schuldig started to stand up. Ran grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back down to the bed even though it made Ran’s side hurt. “Tell me something: does it help you somehow? Keeping me with you and doing the things you’re doing to my head?”

“Yes. It helps me. I wouldn’t keep you here if it didn’t help me. I wouldn’t keep you alive if it didn’t help me. I wouldn’t care if you lived or —”

Again, kissing Schuldig proved to be an effective way of shutting him up, but only for a moment. Schuldig shoved Ran away so hard that some of Schuldig’s beer spilled. Schuldig stood up, putting as much distance between them as the small room would allow.

Ran licked his lips. “I would hate to think that I was the only one getting something out of this.”

Schuldig pressed the flat of his hand against his mouth. _Fuck it._ He smiled like a knife. Aya remembered Schuldig smiling down at him just that way the day his parents died. He remembered looking up from his sister’s body pinned beneath the rubble right at that smile.

“I killed your parents. I kidnapped your sister. And you are damn lucky that I did,” Schuldig sneered. “Without that, you’re nothing. You’re just an easy mark. A very easy mark. I could have spread your legs with a smile.”

Aya was hot with shame and rage. His heart pounded in his ears. He put his beer down on the table and stood up. “Not your smile.”

_What?_

Schuldig refused to back away as Aya moved closer. “It’s not your smile that I wanted.”

When Aya kissed Schuldig this time, Schuldig didn’t try to pull away. Aya wasn’t sure at all about what he was doing, but he was almost certain that it was hurting Schuldig as much as it was hurting Aya himself.

 

Before, whenever they were in bed together they were tangled in each other’s arms, but now they each were on their respective side, staring at their respective wall. Someone knocked on the door. Schuldig scrambled over Aya to answer it, barely stopping long enough to pull on his pants.

Aya brought himself to a sitting position but didn’t move any further when he saw who stood in the doorway. Crawford wore a light suit and carried a liter bottle of water.

“You’re just finding us now?” Schuldig demanded, by way of greeting.

“You needed someone to help you recover, Abyssinian, curiously, was the best suited for the job,” Crawford answered.

The two men stared at each other a long time. Aya had the impression that they were arguing. He tried not to care what they might be saying. Schuldig left him without a backward glance.

“Your people are being informed where you are,” Crawford told Aya. He put the water down on the floor without breaking eye contact. Crawford smiled. “Presumably, they’ll come for you.”

Crawford lingered, so Aya nodded his head to show that he heard. Crawford closed the door, and Aya was alone.

**Author's Note:**

> The phrase that the old woman uses means, “It’s a small (trivial) thing, please accept it.” It could be written in romaji as, “Tsumaranaimonodesuga.” This seems to be the polite thing to say when giving a gift. Ran answered, “Arigatougozaimasu.” or “Thank you.”


End file.
